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The May half-term holiday saw Blackpool FC Community Trust (BFCCT) hold their biggest girls-only football camp – which sold out for the first time.

BFCCT’s Girls’ Football Camps were launched in October 2022, when around 16 girls attended.

Since then, we have seen numbers steadily grow each half-term with 50 attending last month’s camp.

That growth is largely due to the hard work of our female football development team and the coaches who have delivered a wide range of female football sessions over the last 24 months.

Blackpool FC Community Trust's girls-only football camp during May half-term sold out for the first time Picture: Blackpool FC Community Trust

Students’ end-of-year trip

Since its introduction, the team has engaged with nearly 300 girls – some of whom travel from Greater Manchester, Merseyside and Cumbria to attend – making it one of the biggest girls’ football camps in the country.

The camps have been built on a foundation of offering high-quality structured football coaching sessions, covering a wide range of topics to develop players while having fun and enjoying their school holidays.

Sessions are delivered by UEFA-qualified coaches, including some of our highly experienced Blackpool FC FA Girls’ Emerging Talent Centre (ETC) coaches.

The Girls’ Football Camps are one of the main programmes BFCCT uses to identify talented players for the ETC, an elite female football programme which is part of the England Lioness talent pathway.

Andy Aspinall, BFCCT’s female football development manager, said: “Over the last two years, we have worked hard to build relationships and trust with local grassroots clubs in the Poulton and District Primary League.

“The Fylde coast is a hotbed for girls’ football and lots of people are doing great work to ensure that young female footballers have a positive experience in the area.

“Girls from all over Blackpool, Fylde and Wyre attend our sessions. It is great to engage with girls who play for a wide range of local teams.

“We aim to invest in local talent, help players reach their potential and encourage them to fall in love with the game so it becomes a lifetime hobby.”

BFCCT are delivering five weeks of Girls Football Camps in the summer holidays and would love aspiring female footballers aged between seven and 14 to come along, develop their football skills, make new friends and have fun.

Places can be booked now by visiting www.bfcct.co.uk/programme/holiday-camps/

Blackpool FC Community Trust column: Football camp sells out as growth of girls’ game continues